AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

THE BEST OF INDIE ROCK 2019

This year, the gals outnumber the boys!

10.  New Songs for Old Problems by Middle Kids.

9. Crushing by Julia Jacklin.

8. Young Enough by Charly Bliss.  

7. New Age Norms 1 by Cold War Kids.  The guys merge disco and mainstream indie rock for their best album in years.

6. Gold Past Life by The Fruit Bats.  Eight albums in, and The Fruit Bats are still reinventing themselves.  Folk songs about broken souls.  And yet…It’s upbeat pop!  See also: In Real Life by Fruit Bats and Vetiver, live in Spacebomb Studios.  And while we’re at it, Vetiver’s Up On High was also a really, really good record.

5. Atlanta Millionaires Club by Faye Webster.  Beautiful, moody indie.  It’s hard to find a more thoughtful rock album this year.

4. Keep Walking by Sports Team (EP).  I don’t know where these guys came from, but this EP is perfect.  Not a bad song on it. 

3. Grim Town by SOAK.  An album so eclectic and chimerical that it defies classification.  Call it indie.  Call it post-punk. Call it grunge.  But whatever you do, make sure you give it a listen. 

2. Midnight by Stef Chura.  The 2019 version of classic rock and roll, at its best, complete with a song called “Jumpin’ Jack” and a Billy Idol cover. 

1. Remind Me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten.  Absolutely perfect indie rock.